Punta San Fernando, Desert Oasis
In addition to the Lines, San Fernando is the highlight of Nasca Desert. Punta San Fernando is a little-known desert and coastal oasis – like an undiscovered Paracas – where visitors can view sea lions, seals, penguins and even desert rarities, such as South American condors and guanacos, in a beautiful bay along a stretch of undeveloped coastline. The only way to get there is via an adventurous, scenic 6-hour roundtrip in a specially equipped dune buggy or 4x4 truck across the desert sands. Trips organized by Casa Andina are strictly controlled to protect the fragile ecosystem of the coastal desert. On windy afternoons, it can get surprisingly chilly, despite the intense sun, so a windbreaker or other jacket – in addition to binoculars and strong sunscreen.

Cerro Blanco & Desert Dunes
Cerro Blanco is the highest sand dune in South America (2,080 m/6,824 ft), and adventurous travelers can descend it walking, go sand boarding, or travel across it by open-air dune buggy for a sense of the overwhelming dimensions of the coastal desert. This activity can be arranged by writing to travel@casa-andina.com

Palpa Lines
Though much less known than the Nasca Lines, Palpa is replete with archaeological interest. Near the Panamerican Hwy, Palpa and Nasca, is the Llipata observatory, which allows one to appreciate the magnificent geoglyphs of Palpa from up close. These images were created by the Paracas culture and are even more ancient than those of Nasca (one reason why plenty of observers prefer Palpa to Nasca). Palpa can be combined with a visit to observe the petroglyfs of Chichictara, the Sun Dial Geoglyph (easily observed from the town of Sacramento), the lost city of Huayuri, el Huarango Milenario (NES: ¿?), and more. Overflights of Palpa can be arranged in tandem with overflights of the Nasca Lines.

Historian Josué Lancho
Near the house site of Maria Reiche one finds this historian, who organizes outings for tourists and investigators interested in demonstrations of Reiche’s theories (such as how ancient cultures danced within the Nasca Lines in order to “animate” the drawings). A serious and respectable presentation and good show. Lancho may be contacted at: Calle Callao 771, Nasca, Ica. Tel: (056) 522-327.

For additional information on arranging Off the Beaten Track activities in the Nasca area write us to: travel@casa-andina.com